The steeple atop First Federated Church in Bayonne has been leaning north for months, and now city preservationists have thrown their support behind a plan to straighten it out. The Bayonne Historic Preservation Commission adopted a resolution on September 22 backing a proposal to jack the structure back to level, repair its woodwork, and seal and paint the repaired areas in white semi-gloss.
According to sundays.news, the plan calls for jacking the steeple back into position, using rust-resistant fasteners, and sealing and painting the repaired areas. Church representatives told the commission they hoped to reuse as much of the original material as possible, replacing only what absolutely needed to go. As reported by TAPinto, a resident first noticed the steeple's tilt several months earlier, and commission member Joe Ryan said the panel's resolution supports steeplejack work and related repairs to address it.
How the Repair Plan Took Shape
The path to Tuesday's resolution began after the church received notice from the Bayonne building department, prompting the congregation to hire engineers to assess the steeple's condition. From there, the church obtained a proposal from a specialist in steeple repairs, the same account notes, laying the groundwork for the plan now before the commission.
Even with the commission's support, the project is far from a done deal. The work still requires approval from the building division, and per the report, a state-licensed engineer will need to prepare specific plans and submit them for a building permit before any jacks go up against the steeple. TAPinto reports that the Bayonne building department will make the final determination on the proposed work.
A Historic Register Listing Raises the Stakes
The commission's resolution describes First Federated Church as a designated local historic structure that is also listed on state and national historic registers, according to the same sundays.news account. Under the city's preservation ordinance, the commission reviews how development and permit applications might affect the exterior architectural appearance of designated historic sites, per the City of Bayonne historic preservation ordinance. That same ordinance covers improvements within historic districts more broadly, giving the commission a formal role in vetting changes like the steeple repair before builders can move forward.
Roots Dating Back Nearly Two Centuries
TAPinto identifies First Federated Church as the oldest church in Bayonne, with a congregation established in 1828, whose members once traveled to Staten Island to worship. The current building at Avenue C and 33rd Street, formerly known as Bayonne Avenue, has undergone several upgrades over the years since it went up. A National Register record excerpt from the National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places states that the church has been in continuous use since its construction in 1866, while a search-result excerpt from the New Jersey State Library similarly points to the congregation's 1828 founding.
Whether the steeple ultimately gets straightened on the timeline the congregation hopes for will depend on what the building division decides once formal plans are submitted. For now, the commission's resolution marks a procedural green light rather than a construction start date, leaving the historic structure's next chapter in the hands of city reviewers and the engineer tasked with drawing up the permit plans.
